Harvest Fruit Year-Round in Your Sunrise Yard G rowing fruit is an interesting and rewarding hobby, and fruit trees are an attractive addition to many landscapes. Since different plants yield fruit at different times, with proper planning you could harvest fruit from your yard all year! The time to plant fruit trees is always now! Selecting a Tree Here in Sunrise, we’re fortunate that we can grow a variety of fruits. For best results, look for subtropical and tropical plants—including those that do well in USDA Hardiness Zone 11. Fruit trees that are not adapted to local conditions will generally fail to produce regardless of how much care and attention they receive. Start with one of these easy-to-grow, low maintenance varieties:
Mango Tree
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• Atemoya – This medium-sized tree is a hybrid the of the sugar apple and the cherimoya, with fruit that’s slightly sweet and a little tart. The Geffner variety is self-pollinating, fast growing and sheds its leaves each year.
The City of Sunrise Utilities Department is hosting a FREE Good and Green workshop where you can learn the basics and improve your confidence in planting and nurturing fruit trees. Saturday, November 2 10:00 am to 11:30 am JOIN US! Sunrise Senior Center – Multipurpose Room 10650 W. Oakland Park Boulevard To register for the workshop, email sustainability@sunrisefl.gov or call (954) 888-6043.
• Loquat – This medium-sized tree produces attractive, fragrant flowers in wintertime, followed by fruit. “Less is best” when it comes to fertilizer.
• Mango – There are many cultivars of this large, fast-growing tree; for smaller spaces, look for dwarf varieties. Mango trees should be planted in well-drained soil so water doesn’t pool around the trunk.
Picking a Location Most fruit trees need full sun to thrive. The area you choose should accommodate a tree canopy that’s at least 12 feet in diameter, and not hold water after a heavy rain. Be sure to call 8-1-1 (or visit sunshine811.com) two full days before you dig; any underground utilities will be located and marked at no cost—and you’ll avoid damaging buried lines. Planting Your Fruit Tree
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The most important factor is planting the tree to the correct depth—not too deep or too shallow. Fruit trees should also be planted as soon as possible after the trees are purchased or acquired; leaving it in the container can cause the tree to become root bound and cause health issues. You can plant fruit trees all year in south Florida; however, planting during the rainy season (late May to late October) helps a new, young tree get established without daily watering.
Come to the Cultural Festival to take part in our next fruit tree giveaway! Fruit trees will be available for pickup in person by City of Sunrise residents only (photo ID required; one tree per household) while supplies last.
Caring for Your Fruit Tree Protect your new tree with a donut-shaped mulch barrier that encircles—but doesn’t touch—its trunk. Plan on watering your new tree regularly for at least six weeks after planting. Three years after you’ve planted your fruit tree you can begin to trim it annually, waiting until just after you pick the last fruit of the season. If you need to fertilize, choose a slow-release formula and apply it annually during the dry season (January/February). Fruit trees don’t just provide fruit for you and your family; they also add value to your property, help increase our community’s tree canopy, and provide an excellent habitat and food source for birds, bees, and other pollinators.
Saturday, November 9 Beginning at 5:00 pm City Park, 6600 Sunset Strip
For more information about these and other Sustainability initiatives—and to sign up to receive our Good and Green email newsletter—visit sunrisefl.gov/green.
4 Horizons | www.sunrisefl.gov
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